In Hinduism

Jyotisha (astronomy and astrology)

Source: Wikibooks (hi): Sanskrit Technical Terms

Yāvattāvat (यावत्तावत्).—In algebra, an unknown quantity; abbr. as yā; (lit., as much as so much). Note: Yāvat-tāvat is a Sanskrit technical term used in ancient Indian sciences such as Astronomy, Mathematics and Geometry.

context information

Jyotisha (ज्योतिष, jyotiṣa or jyotish) refers to ‘astronomy’ or “Vedic astrology” and represents the fifth of the six Vedangas (additional sciences to be studied along with the Vedas). Jyotisha concerns itself with the study and prediction of the movements of celestial bodies, in order to calculate the auspicious time for rituals and ceremonies.

Ganitashastra (Mathematics and Algebra)

Source: archive.org: Hindu Mathematics

Yāvattāvat (यावत्तावत्) refers to the “unknown quantity”, according to the principles of Bījagaṇita (“algebra” or ‘science of calculation’), according to Gaṇita-śāstra, ancient Indian mathematics and astronomy.—The unknown quantity was called in the Sthānāṅga-sūtra (before 300 B.C.) yāvattāvat (as many as or so much as, meaning an arbitrary quantity). In the so-called Bakhshali treatise, it was called yadṛcchā, vāñchā or kāmika (any desired quantity). This term was originally connected with the Rule of False Position.

According to the celebrated Sanskrit lexicographer Amarasiṃha (f. 400 A.D.), yāvattāvat denotes measure or quantity (māna). He had probably in view the use of that term in Hindu algebra to denote “the measure of an unknown” (avyaktamāna). In the case of more unknowns, it is usual to denote the first yāvattāvat and the remaining ones by alphabets or colours.

Pṛthūdakasvāmī (860) in his commentary on the Brāhmasphuṭasiddhānta by Brahmagupta (628): “In an example in which there are two or more unknown quantities, colours such as yāvattāvat, etc., should be assumed for their values”.

Śrīpati (1039) in the Siddhāntaśekhara: “Yāvattāvat (so much as) and colours such as kālaka (black), nīlaka (blue), etc., should be assumed for the unknowns”.

Bhāskara II in the Bījagaṇita: “Yāvattāvat (so much as), kālaka (black), nīlaka (blue), pīta (yellow), lohita (red) and other colours have been taken by the venerable professors as notations for the measures of the unknowns, for the purpose of calculating with them. [...] (The maxim), ‘colours such as yāvattāvat, etc., should be assumed for the unknowns,’ gives (only) one method of implying (them). Here, denoting them by names, the equations may be formed by the intelligent (calculator)”.

Note: Yāvattāvat is not a varṇa (colour or letter of alphabet). So in its inclusion in the lists of varṇa, as found enumerated in the Hindu algebras—though apparently anomalous—we find the persistence of an ancient symbol which was in vogue long before the introduction of colours to represent unknowns. To avoid the anomaly Muralidhara Jha has suggested the emendation yāvakastāvat (yāvaka and also; yāvaka = red) in the place of yāvattāvat, as found in the available manuscripts. He thinks that being misled by the old practice, the expression yāvakastāvat was confused by copyists yāvattāvat. In support of this theory it may be pointed out that yāvaka is found to have been sometimes used by Pṛthūdakasvāmī to represent the unknown. Bhāskara II has once used yāvat. Nārāyaṇa used it on several occasions. The origin of the use of names of colours to represent unknowns in algebra is very probably connected with the ancient use of differently coloured shots for the purpose.

context information

Ganitashastra (शिल्पशास्त्र, gaṇitaśāstra) refers to the ancient Indian science of mathematics, algebra, number theory, arithmetic, etc. Closely allied with astronomy, both were commonly taught and studied in universities, even since the 1st millennium BCE. Ganita-shastra also includes ritualistic math-books such as the Shulba-sutras.

Languages of India and abroad

Marathi-English dictionary

Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-English

yāvattāvat (यावत्तावत्).—ad Moderately, sufficiently. Scantily.

context information

Marathi is an Indo-European language having over 70 million native speakers people in (predominantly) Maharashtra India. Marathi, like many other Indo-Aryan languages, evolved from early forms of Prakrit, which itself is a subset of Sanskrit, one of the most ancient languages of the world.

Sanskrit dictionary

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Yāvattāvat (यावत्तावत्).—Ind. 1. As much as, quantum-tantum. 2. (In algebra,) The relation of the unknown number and its co-efficient. E. yāvat, tāvat so much.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Yāvattāvat (यावत्तावत्):—[yāva-ttāvat] adv. As much as.

context information

Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family (even English!). Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.

See also (Relevant definitions)

Partial matches: Tavat, Yava, Yavat.

Starts with: Yavattavatkalpana.

Full-text (+23): Yavattavatkalpana, Yavat, Ya, Mana, Avyaktamana, Yavaka, Yavakastavat, Kamika, Vancha, Yadriccha, Gulika, Shvetaka, Kapila, Patala, Shabala, Mecaka, Shyamalaka, Citra, Kalaka, Shabalaka.

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Search found 1 books and stories containing Yavattavat, Yāvattāvat, Yavat-tavat, Yāvat-tāvat, Yava-ttavat, Yāva-ttāvat; (plurals include: Yavattavats, Yāvattāvats, tavats, tāvats, ttavats, ttāvats). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Satapatha-brahmana (by Julius Eggeling)

Kāṇḍa III, adhyāya 5, brāhmaṇa 3 < [Third Kāṇḍa]

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